"I often stop, that way.
Yesterday I went to see my aunt. How can the store tell? They don't
know just how long it will take to deliver all the parcels. Some
folks live farther off than others. Who's going to know?"
Willis hesitated. He remembered that the thought of the men at the
wharves had been: "Who would know?" Willis had never heard that
anybody had lost his place at the wharves on account of dawdling.
What if August never was found out? Was it right to steal an hour,
or half an hour, of his employer's time?
"No," thought Willis. "I'm going to be honest."
Late one afternoon August came into the store. Willis was later
still, because he had had more parcels to deliver. Both boys'
receipt books showed the customers' signatures.
"There was a big fire up-town," said August secretly to Willis
afterwards. "I stopped to see it before delivering my parcels. You
just ought to have been there!"
"How long did you stay?" asked Willis, gravely.
"Oh, I don't know!" returned August. "Three-quarters of an hour,
maybe. I delivered my parcels all right afterwards."
Willis did not tell anybody about August's actions.
"I wish he wouldn't tell me about them, either," thought Willis,
uncomfortably.
That week August was discharged.
"I happened to be at the fire myself, and saw you," said one of the
store's proprietors to August.
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